Support



Jan. 16, 1951- J. A. S. ROY ET AL SUPPORT Filed Feb. 21, '1946 INVENTORS JAMES A. 5. R0) DAN/EL E. $CHWAR7Z.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 16, 1951 SUPPORT James A. S. Roy, Herndon, Va., and Daniel E. Schwartz, Washington, D. 0.

Application February 21, 1946, Serial No. 649,436

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G. 757) 3 Claims.

the cable or the like more tightly as the strain on the cable increases.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support which permits rotation of the cable or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved support which electrically insulates an electric cable from the surrounding structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cable support for use with a cable passing through a brace in which the elements comprising the support need be manipulated only from one side of the brace.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the cable support applied to a brace which is shown in section;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective View of the cable support; and

Fig. 3 is an elevational view, partly in section, ,of the cable support in use.

It should be understood that the word cable as used herein'includes ropes, steel cables, and the like and is not limited to electric cables.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawings, the device serves to support and relieve the strain on a remotely ended cable I0 passing through an opening Illa in a brace II. The support comprises a pair of tapered semi-frustoconical shell members I2, I20, preferably of metal, the respective ones of which have an out-turned flange I3, I3a at their lower ends. The two shell members I2, IZa have interlocking tongue and socket portions I4, Ila. which because of the type of curvation shown, form an inherent interlock when engaged, preventing radial separation of the shell members under the expansive force/of the cable-grasping elements mentioned below, and permitting separation only' by relative motion in a plane normal tothe axis of the frustroconical section formed by the members I2, I2a in the absence of said elements. The collective flanges I3, [3a cooperate with the brace II to maintain the support on the brace and at the same time reduce the unit bearing pressure and consequently any incidental wear in the brace. Thus said flange constitutes a footing, an additional function of which is to serve as a rest on which the operator can apply his weight through his feet and aid in the removal of the cable-grasping elements I 5, I5a from the shell.

Said cable grasping elements I5, I5a which are semi cylindrical in cross-section and exteriorly tapered, fit within the shell formed by the members I2, I24: and are adapted to be retained thereby at a place on the cable located medially of the aforesaid remote ends. The cable grasping elements I5, I; have projecting and mutually engaging shoulders I6, I! which, when engaged, provide locating means which prevent relative longitudinal movement of the members I5, I5a. The members I5, I5av may be of insulating material when used for electrical cables and preferably have interior friction-increasing projections or lands and grooves to provide a better grasp on the cable ID, When used for steel cables and the like members I5, I51 may be of any suitable material.

In use, with the cable Ill passing through the opening "la in the brace II, the disassembled shell members I2, I2a are placed on opposite sides of the cable Ii! and are then interlocked by sliding the tongue and socket portions into engagement, after which the shell is moved (in the direction indicated by the arrow A) on the cable I0 into contact with the brace II. It is observed that the tongue and socket portions I4, Na, in the form shown, consist of a sinuous edging wherein the alternating heads and sockets are the same in size and the tongues of the heads and the inlets of the sockets are narrower than either the heads or sockets. These parts are struck normal to the members I2, [20, so that if and when the members are stood on the brace II slightly offset laterally from each other, the sinuous edging will exactly match for interfitting when said members are shifted laterally to complete the shell, The two cable grasping elements 15, Ilia are then placed on opposite sides of the cable in above the shell 12, Wu and are moved toward each other into engagement, after which the two members l5, l5a are pushed (in the direction A) along the cable until they enter the shell. After the tapered outer surface formed by the cable-engaging members [5, I50; contacts the complementary tapered inner surface of the shell, further telescopic movement by way of. insertion of. the cableengaging. members into the shell members serves to force the cable-engaging members more closely together and to cause them to grasp the cable more tightly. After the support is thus assembled, a pull (in the direction A) on the cable II] is transmitted to the cable-engaging members l5, [5a which transmit the strainto the shell formed by members l2, [2a which, in turn, bears against the brace H, and thusprevents movement of the cable Iii (in the direction A). An important feature of the invention is the fact that increased-pull on thercable only causes the cable-grasping members: to tighten on the cable and more firmly to resist slipping of the cable therethrough.- Additionally, such increased: pull does not. deform the cable in an undesiredmanner, because the: compression on the cable isdistributed over the interior surfaces of elements I5, Elia, in a substantially uniform manner.

The projections l6: and I! onelementlS are so arranged thatprojection 16- of one: element engagesrprojection ll of the other element when the grasping elements 15, 511. are placed on opposite. sides of. a cable or. the like. The engagement of projections Ill with projections IT preventsrelative. axial motion of one element l5 with respect to the other element [5a when elements [5, I5a. areassembled as a pair.

A strain produced axially on. the cable in a direction which would tend to'further engage the-outer tapered surfaces. of elements l5; lid withthe inner tapered surfaces of elements I2, I2awill produce a. force in the sameaxialdirection on the elements [5, [5m The surfaces. 18, lflaof the-elements l5, lea in turn exert a force normal to surfaces i9, [901. of. elements 12, lZa placing the elements l2, I24;v in greater tension. The elements l2; l2a therefore; exert a force equal in magnitude but opposite in direction upon the elements i5, I511. The angleqof. taper of theengaging surfaces 18, l8a and: is, lQaisso chosen as to provide a friction lock which normally resists disengagement of elements. I2 lid and I5, l5a. Motion of the cable lii'in-an axial direction B will therefore carry elements l2, I2a and I5, I5a with cable ln with'l no relative motion occurring between cable iii and elements I2 l2a and elements 15, a.

Disassembly-of elements i2, lZa and I5, i5a from cable Iilis obtained by applying suflicient force in one direction to cable ii) and an opposite force on fiangesl3, i3LL as. hereinbefore explained, so as to overcome the frictional forces between tapered surfaces [8, lfia and 19, I961, thus permitting the withdrawal of elements l5, I5a, from elements [2, I21]. and ultimate complete disengagement and disassembly.

Elements l5, l5a are identical and can be made. in the same mold, or by the same pattern or die. Elementsl2, 12a are also identical and canbemade in the same mold,- or by-the same pattern or die.

It .will be, understood that the brace. H is not a part of this invention.

Cir

The assembly procedure may be reversed by axially moving the cable-grasping members l5 (in a direction indicated by the arrow B) out of tight engagement with the shell. After the members [5 are withdrawn from the shell they are separated and removed from the cable. Thereafter, the shell members may be separated, an operation which was impossible while the support was assembled due to the fact that the presence of the cable-grasping members wedged Within the shell. prevented therelative transverse movement of the shell members I2 necessary for their disengagement from each other. When the cable-grasping members l5 are removed from within the shell, the shell members l2=- are readily separated by a slight relative transverse movement.

We have described a preferred embodiment of the invention and it is to be understood that various modifications and variations of the invention may be made without departing from the true scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

The invention hereinrdescribed may be manufactured and used by. or for the. Government of the United States of America forzgovernmental purposes without the payment offanyroyalties thereon or therefor.

We claim:

1. A support for sustaining a cable whioh occupies an opening through a brace, said support comprising a tubular tapered-shell oversized in comparison to the cable and diametrically-larger than the cable' even at its narrow end; said shell consisting of identically formed members with sinuous confronting edges consisting- 'of 'a-n alternation of tongues withheads and sockets with inlets" all struck normal tosaid members, the tongues and inlets being" narrower than the heads and sockets to compose an interlock; said heads and sockets registering when themembars are slightly offset by utilization" of said oversize around-the cable, then subject-solely't'o. a relative lateral motionthereby interlocking; the heads and sockets toxcompose the shell; and; a setof cable grips-fitting in the sh'ell; excr cising a radially outward force on'the m'embers. and diverse pulls on the tongues-andheadsto. maintain the shell in unitary form.

2; A support forsustaining acable' which o'ccua pies an. opening through a brace; said support;

comprising a tubular taperedshell oversized'im comparison. to the cable" andidilametricallylarger than the cable even at its narrow end, said-shell consisting of a plurality of segments connected at their conjoint edges. by a. system. of interdigitated terminally enlarged. and consequently interlocked tongues lying. within thesurfaces of the shell, andasecond. shell..formedIlongitudi; nally insectional. parts and fitting withinthe tubular tapered shell. to: maintain the. tongues in interlocked engagement...

3. A support for sustaining. a cable whichoccupies. an opening. through .a brace, said -support comprising a tubular taperedshelLoversized in comparison to the cable and diametrically. larger than the cable even at its narrow-end,-. said shell consisting of a plurality of segmentsconnected at their conjoint edges-by a system of.uniformly configuratedinterdigitated tongues enlargedat their terminals hence mutually interlocked .and lying within the surfaces of. the shelLLanda second shell formed longitudinally in. sectional parts fitting both the cable and the internal Name Date Becker et al. Oct. 10, 1905 Parker et a1. Dec. 2, 1913 Douglas Feb. 18, 1918 Hayes Apr. 12, 1932 Dublin June 14, 1932 Noble Oct. 4, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Aug. 10, 1931 Germany Nov. 4, 1924 Great Britain Apr. 8, 1938 

